Wolfgang Mittig

University Distinguished Professor of Physics

About

  • Joined the laboratory in January 2008
  • Experimental nuclear physics
  • Contact information

Education and training

  • Hauptdiplom, University of Bonn, Germany, 1967
  • Docteur ès Sciences, Université de Paris, 1971
  • Livre Docente, University of Sao Paulo, 1977

Research

Since my university studies, first in Germany and later in France, I involved myself in very general problems, such as the foundations of quantum mechanics (Bell inequality), together with more practical applications, such as nuclear energy and environment. I am mainly working on experimental nuclear physics, and more specifically on the spectroscopy of exotic nuclei. In order to study very rare nuclei far from stability, we developed an “active target,” a detector in which the detection gas is at the same time the target, in order to study rare nuclei far from stability. This detector implies about 10,000 electronic channels and involves a challenging track analysis related to pattern recognition methods. Related to FRIB, I am working on a target and a beam stopper for the 400kW beam. An achromatic isochronous large acceptance spectrometer called ISLA is a project for the reaccelerator. I am exploring possibilities (and impossibilities) to study dark matter in our laboratory. A schematic view of the Active Target Time Projection Chamber. AT-TPC. The chamber is operated within a large bore (1.2m) solenoid, to determine the energy of the charged reaction products by the curvature of their trajectory. The image of the trajectories will be read out by 10,000 electronic channels.

Current research projects and research opportunities:

  • Experiments with the AT-TPC (Active Target-Time Projection Chamber and its prototype (pAT-TPC) at FRIB, TRIUMF(Canada) and RCNP (Japan) and their analysis
  • Development of pit-hole detectors as Micro Pattern Gas Detectors
  • Development of a 3He gas handling system with purification and gas recovery
  • Design of optics and magnetic elements for the ISLA spectrometer
  • A project of an Active Target for TRIUMF and FRIB (submitted)
  • Hydraulic flow in a rotating water filled drum for FRIB
  • Development of a device for the study of (p,2p) reactions in combination with the neutron detector MONA

How students can contribute as part of my research team

Research opportunities for students exist in all of the projects listed above.

Scientific publications